Biblical Civil Government: What Does The Bible Require? Fifth Commandment, Pt. 3

(The Fifth Commandment, sermon #3.)

What is the Biblical role of the civil government? Is it to be a neutral 'referee' promoting tolerance and pluralism?

Is it to engage in social engineering?

Is its role limited to protecting citizens from criminals and invasion?

Or does the Bible require the civil government to support the church? If so, which church, and how?

The Bible and therefore the authors of the Westminster Confession (original version XXIII: III) and Catechisms (Larger Catechism q. 191) expressly state that the civil magistrate is to favor and maintain, that is, actively support, the church. (By "church" is not meant Buddhist temples or Islamic mosques.)

Few sermons like this have been preached since the time of the Reformation. More are needed.

For more on this topic, showing that this preaching is in accord with classic Reformed thought, please see the free books listed at http://www.swrb.com/newslett/freebook/civgov.htm or hear John Knox's "Reformation, Revolution and Romanism (1558)" (free MP3) at
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1030075041 Also see, John Brown of Haddington's, "The Absurdity and Perfidy of All Authoritative Toleration of Gross Heresy, Blasphemy, Idolatry, Popery, in Britain" (1797, 1803 edition) and C.J. Brown's "Christ's Kingship Over the Nations Maintained and Defended in the Establishment Principle, or, The Principle of the National Recognition of Religion", both at http://www.swrb.com/catalog/b.htm